The Prediction of States’ PK-12 Funding Effort and Distribution Based on Their Ideological Makeups

States differ markedly in their funding for public schools, both in terms of the fiscal effort their citizens demonstrate and the progressivity with which funds are distributed. Yet, less is known about why different states have enacted such different policies and financing systems. In this study, the relationships between a measure of states’ ideological makeups and two PK-12 funding outcome measures, effort and distribution, are examined. Citizen ideology was found to relate strongly and positively to school funding effort, such that more progressive states showed significantly more effort. In contrast, the relationship between citizen ideology and school funding distribution was non-significant. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.